What exactly is Carrageenan?

Carrageenan is a heavily discussed ingredient in the holistic and alternative medicine world, it is considered to be an indigestible polysaccharide that is derived from red seaweed, which is processed to stabilize and thicken ingredients while preventing separation of the product, the problem is it is being linked to inflammation, stomach irritation, and even cancer and has been studied and found to be a cause of tumors.

I have done extensive reading and studies on this ingredient due to a family member having cancer, it is an ingredient in many so called "natural" products but the problem is red seaweed is natural what they do to it is not! 

Please read the ingredients in what you buy, I found Carrageenan in soy milk, almond milk, yogurt and even dried products such as hot cocoa, just to name a few and every one of these products were listed as All Natural! 

One of my family members had lung cancer and of course being a health coach I wanted to help her to eat healthy and naturally through the treatment and recovery process to help her develop good eating habits to follow after she was finished. I assessed her dietary habits and discovered that she had a bowl of ice cream every night for years, in my research of her food intake and health profile I discovered that carrageenan is in almost every ice cream product I found. There is much more that needs to be researched on this ingredient but I feel it is best for people to stay away from this additive if they can until there is more research completed.

The following is a great article, courtesy of Prevention Magazine to give you more information too!

http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/carrageenan-natural-ingredient-you-should-ban-your-diet

© Copyright 2013 Gina Mastrogiovanni

Disclaimer: The information in this blog is for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for the personal care of a doctor. Please remember to always consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new fitness or dietary program.